Innovative Research

CONTRIBUTE TO RESEARCH THAT CHANGES LIVEs.

As a health sciences student at Creighton, you’ll have numerous opportunities to participate in and lead innovative research projects. You’ll work alongside world-renowned faculty members who will guide and mentor you—in the lab and in life. They’ll make sure you’re prepared when the time comes to share your research through presentations and publications.

Research is at the heart of Creighton University’s identity. In fact, Creighton is named among a select group—and the only Catholic university—to be nationally recognized for undergraduate research opportunities by U.S. News & World Report.

Open the tabs below to learn about research in each of Creighton’s four health sciences schools.

The Creighton University School of Medicine is an international leader in hereditary cancer and osteoporosis research. The school is also home to outstanding research in infectious disease, cardiovascular disease, neuroscience, nutrition and metabolism.

Faculty and student researchers continue to make new discoveries in atherosclerosis, bacterial resistance, cancer, hearing restoration, brain injury and bone growth and loss. Creighton’s Cancer and Smoking Disease Research Program has been especially productive, focusing on therapies for non-melanoma skin cancer; a novel treatment for breast cancer; a new treatment for metastatic prostate cancer; and a study of early-life environmental cigarette-smoke exposure and the risk of asthma.

The Creighton University School of Dentistry has built a national and international reputation by conducting research focused on enhancing teaching, improving society and discovering new knowledge. The school is particularly well known for its excellence in dental materials research.

As a dental student, you’ll participate in group research projects as early as your first year. You’ll collaborate with world-renowned faculty members, contributing to peer-reviewed scientific publications and presentations. Past and current students have presented at the American Association for Dental Research (AADR), the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), American Dental Association (ADA), American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology (AAOMR), among other distinguished societies. Many of those students have also received prestigious awards for the quality and relevance of their research projects.

The National Institute of Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) recognizes Creighton in the 30th percentile of the nation’s dental schools for research funding. Our faculty members secure funding from public and private sources, including highly competitive National Institutes of Health (NIH) awards. Researchers in the Department of Oral Biology have received several NIH and private grants to explore tissue regeneration in the mammalian inner ear that may help to treat human hearing loss and have application in regeneration of other craniofacial structures.

The school has research partnerships in Japan and is expanding research collaborations at the national and international level.

The Creighton University College of Nursing is committed to conducting innovative research.

For example, while there are many studies on the benefits of breastfeeding, two nursing professors conducted nutrition research on babies who were fed formula. The unique research shows that formula-fed infants are no more likely to be overweight than breast-fed infants.

Another groundbreaking study by a Creighton nursing professor found that moderate increases in dairy consumption do not affect weight gain in adolescent girls. While similar studies have been conducted on adults, this was the first study to focus on adolescent girls. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) published the findings.

Thanks to Creighton’s emphasis on research excellence, our alumni have made a difference in the world. For example, the late Elizabeth Keitges See, PhD, BSN’52, was a national leader in nursing research and was the former director of research for the American Nurses Association.

Barbara Braden, PhD, BSN’73, developed the Braden Scale for pressure-sore risk assessment that is used worldwide.

As a student in the Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions, you’ll be encouraged to participate in innovative research. You’ll collaborate with world-renowned professors who are dedicated to advancing clinical, pharmaceutical sciences, biomedical sciences, rehabilitation, education and health science research.

The school has received funding to conduct a variety of research, from patient safety to antiretroviral nanoparticles for treatment and prevention of HIV infections; Parkinson’s Disease to the lower extremities; characteristics of prion entry; nano-delivery for cancer therapy; and the discovery of novel TB agents.

Our faculty members have received grants and funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Defense (DOD), state, foundations and pharmaceutical industry sources.